The Secret Societies Of The Middle Ages

It is indeed matter for wonder that such crying abuses should hav ° existed for so many centuries . Tho Gorman princes found no othe 1 ' means of escaping than by affiliating themselves with tho judges of Dortmund , by obtaining from the emperor the right of holding within their oivn territories tho secret courts of justice ; or by acquiring letters patent exempting them from the jurisdiction ofthe Wcstphalian tribunals .

Tho whole nation assembled in tho Diet attempted to abolish or to reform these formidable tribunals , but for a long time without effect , neither the most positive laws , nor their privileges or exemptions , Nor even tho confederacies which several princes and states concluded , in opposition to the secret tribunals , had any effect ; they even ventured to denounce the emperor , Frederick the Third himself , for

having published an ordinance against their abuses . Although the establishment of the circles , the institution of tho imperial chamber , and the reformation of the courts of justice under Maximilian I . concurred to diminish their influence and authority , yet they continued to subsist in some places , with all their original abuses ; and the final abolition of this absurd and cruel jurisdiction ,

throughout all Germany , was not consummated before the middle of the seventeenth century . In 1535 , an edict , issued by Charles the Fifth , condemned the abuses indeed , but did not venture to abolish these courts ; and so lately as 1640 , Thomas Schlisstein , councillor of state to the Elector of Brandenburg , drew out an accusation against the city of Herforden , for the injustice and cruelty of their secret tribunals , in which he describes the dreadful enormities practised iu their criminal trials , displays their

extraordinary modes of proceeding , and exhibits a curious specimen of the mysterious expressions which were used on those occasions . The burgomaster ( ho says ) , assessors , and councillors , continue to this clay the use of the secret tribunal . They employ certain marks and signs by which they understand one another , as " S . S . G . G ., " Stock , stein , gras grain—stock , stone , grass green—( vide last paper ) .

The accused persons aro brought to trial without being permitted to have any communication with the witnesses against them , and without being allowed any counsel to defend thorn , except a servant of the magistracy : persons of property aro often arrested , and tried for a capital crime ( our readers will remember that though we are using the present tense the narrative refers to tho year 1535 a yearbthe

, , y way , in which au important act , showing the difference of the English government , even at that period , is on record , viz ., the taking of the celebrated " Yalor Ecelesiasticus" ) on the oath of one of their debtors , or any person indeed who comes forward as accuser . Their information and examination are conducted by unknown signs and mysterious words , aud the unfortunate prisoner is subjected to ordinary and

extraordinary torture , contrary to the nature of criminal justice , and the constitutions of Charles the Fifth , What also renders the mode of trial tho more unjust and terrible is , that the assessors are for the